Methods for using an interposer/converter to allow single-sided contact to circuit modules

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for routing all external connection points of a dual-sided edge connector of a circuit card to one side of a test tray suitable for testing with a bed of nails, “pogo pin” or similar type of load board for functional testing of a circuit card. A first embodiment of the apparatus includes a pivotally mounted or snap-in removable electrical and mechanical receptacle with a slot or socket suitable for holding a dual-sided edge connector of a circuit card in a test tray. The receptacle pivots or is otherwise mounted in the test tray to allow the circuit card to lie coplanar with the test tray, thus providing perpendicular contact to the pins of a bed of nails-type load board. Another embodiment provides a fixed receptacle mounted vertically that routes all edge connector traces to the bottom surface of the test tray, again, suitable for engaging with a bed of nails-type test board.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/414,203,filed Oct. 7, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,144, which is a divisionalof application Ser. No. 08/810,048, filed Mar. 4, 1997, now U.S. Pat.No. 6,004,142, issued Dec. 21, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an interface adapter for providingsingle-sided electrical contact to a circuit card bearing contactelements on two sides.

2. State of the Art

Modern personal computers are designed to be easily upgraded by swappingout old components and replacing them with newer, faster, and highercapacity parts. For example, computer memory such as dynamic randomaccess memory (DRAM) is upgraded by inserting single in-line memorymodules (SIMMs) into preexisting sockets on a motherboard. SIMMs aresmall circuit cards with memory chips attached and a single-sided edgeconnector having a data width of 32-bits. Dual in-line memory modules(DIMMs) provide greater data widths (64- and 72-bits) and higher memorydensity, particularly useful for size-limited applications such asnotebook computers. Microprocessors are also trending toward greaterdata (word) widths. DIMMs have dual-sided edge connectors to maintain asmall form factor with wider data widths. The trend in state-of-the-artmicroprocessors is also toward wider word widths. This trend isgenerating demand for higher performance memory components such asDIMMs.

SIMMs and DIMMS are tested for bum-in (infant mortality) andfunctionality. For purposes of bum-in testing, standard SIMM and DIMMsockets can be used to test for infant mortality. Functional testing isperformed on automatic test equipment, typically with a “bed of nails”type interface which was originally designed to simultaneously test aplurality of individually packaged dice. However, in the case of a SIMMcard, with its single line of edge contacts on one side of the card,such test equipment may be easily adapted to electrically connect to thecontacts of SIMM cards placed flat in a carrier tray such as a JEDEC(Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council)-configured tray. In such acase, eight to ten of the SIMM cards may be tested per tray on a testerof the aforementioned configuration at one time.

The current generation of circuit card test trays for SIMMs are not,however, adaptable to handle the dual-sided connectors of DIMMs becauseone-half of the edge connectors or contacts of the DIMM cards faceopposite the test side of the tray by which contact is made. Onepossible solution is to design the DIMMs with through-hole orvia-connected test pads extending from one side of the card to the otherside, thus providing all edge connector contacts on one side of the cardfor test purposes. However, this potential solution requires greater useof limited circuit board real estate, as well as greater cost because ofthe additional traces and through-holes required. Moreover, the addedconductive trace complexity may introduce more defects into the cardsthemselves, lowering yield for other than die-related failures.

Other circuit boards and cards employing dual-sided connectors andpresenting similar test and contact problems include (by way of exampleonly) other multichip modules (MCMs) including other dice in addition toor in lieu of memory dice, as well as triple in-line memory modules(TRIMMs).

Electrical sockets for connecting SIMMs are taught by Lwee et al. (U.S.Pat. No. 5,256,078, Oct. 26, 1993, hereinafter the “'078” patent).Electrical sockets for connecting DIMMs are taught by Noschese et al.(U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,985, Apr. 30, 1996, hereinafter the “'985” patent).While suitable for burn-in testing, neither the '078 patent nor the '985patent teach a circuit card receptacle for routing edge connector tracesfrom one side of the circuit card to the other side to facilitatetesting of the card from a single side. Thus, there is a need in the artfor a circuit card receptacle which allows single-sided testing ofcircuit cards or boards having dual-sided edge connectors to avoid thenecessity for investing in new and different test equipment toaccommodate such dual-sided connector configurations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises, in several embodiments, a circuit cardreceptacle for routing dual-sided edge connectors from any kind ofmultichip module (MCM) for effecting electrical contact from a singleside of the receptacle. The invention may be combined with a test traysuitable for automatic testing of MCMs with automatic test equipmentutilizing a bed of nails or other probe-type load board interface.

In the first embodiment of the invention, a U-shaped receptacle forcircuit cards bearing dual-sided edge connectors or contacts isprovided. The U-shaped receptacle allows direct connection of a “bed ofnails” type load board to edge connectors on one side of a circuit card,termed for convenience the “test” side, and additionally provides testpads on the test side of the receptacle electrically connected to thenontest side edge connectors of the circuit card. The U-shapedreceptacle is preferably pivotally mounted on a test tray for easyinsertion and removal of the circuit cards and correct placement of thetest pads to face the bottom of the tray.

A second embodiment of the invention also provides a circuit cardreceptacle pivotally mounted on a test tray. When viewed from a sideelevation, the circuit card receptacle routes edge connector traces fromboth sides of the card to test pads on one surface of the receptaclelocated between the pivot point and the edge connector receptacle.

A third embodiment of the invention also provides a circuit cardreceptacle pivotally mounted on a test tray and, as illustrated, routesdual-sided edge connector traces to test pads on one surface of thereceptacle. In this embodiment, a side elevation view reveals that thereceptacle contains a pivot point located between test pads routed fromedge connector traces and the edge connector receptacle.

It should be noted that the first embodiment may employ a pivot pointlocated between the test points and the bottom or base of the “U,” or apivot point may be on the legs of the “U.”

In the fourth embodiment, fixed circuit card receptacles are mounted ona test tray such that circuit cards inserted in the receptacles areperpendicular to the test tray. In this embodiment, both sets of edgeconnector traces of the card are routed to test pads located on theunderside of the tray. This embodiment provides greater card density fortesting in comparison to the others if suitable test equipment isavailable. Hereinafter, this embodiment is referred to as the fixedperpendicular embodiment.

An alternative means, and a fifth embodiment, for mounting the cardreceptacles on the test tray is the use of a quick-release mechanism forsecuring and removing each card receptacle from the tray. This method ofmounting provides the advantages of the pivot mounting arrangements,first, by facilitating insertion and removal of circuit cards from thereceptacle and, second, by allowing the receptacle with card inserted tobe held coplanar with the test tray. Thus, a quick-release mechanismcould be substituted for the pivot mounting mechanisms described in thefirst three embodiments above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective, generic view of the invention as used with atest tray and a multichip module to be tested.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are side elevation and top views of a first embodimentof the invention employing a U-shaped, pivoting receptacle.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the invention wherethe test pads are located between the pivot point of a pivotable circuitcard receptacle and the edge connector receptacle.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a third embodiment of the invention wherethe pivot point of a pivoting circuit card receptacle is located betweenthe test pads and the edge connector receptacle.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a fourth embodiment of the invention, alsoreferred to as the fixed perpendicular embodiment, where the circuitcard receptacles are rigidly fixed to the test tray which holds circuitcards under test perpendicular to the test tray.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a fifth embodiment of the invention,wherein a quick-release mechanism employing a snap-in type receptacle isused in lieu of a pivoting receptacle.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of stackable test trays suitable for usewith the receptacle embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4 and6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An understanding of the detailed description of the invention isfacilitated by drawing FIGS. 1 through 7. The embodiments of theinvention each solve the problem of interfacing a dual-sided circuitcard to a single-sided load board used in functional testing withoutresorting to expensive retooling of the tester interface or purchase ofdifferent test equipment.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary, pictorial view of the invention comprising acircuit card receptacle 2 mounted on a test tray 3. The test tray 3could be fabricated with any number of receptacles 2, limited only bytray size and the number of circuit card test pins 11 (also termed “pogopins,” “nails” or “probes”) available on the load board 13. Load board13 is connected to a test interface adapter 200, which in turn isconnected to a functional test system 202 comprising a computercontrolled by a software test program. FIG. 1 shows a representativecircuit card 19 which is to be inserted 41 into the receptacle 2. Thecircuit card 19 has a dual-sided edge connector 15 with two rows of edgeconnector traces 6 and 8, one on the nontest side 43 and another (notvisible in FIG. 1) on the test side 45. Mounted on the circuit card 19are integrated circuit dice 17. The circuit card 19 engages thereceptacle 2 at a socket or slot 10, which may be formed with eitherclosed or open lateral ends but, if with open ends, also providing tabsor stops proximate each end for proper lateral card location. The edgeconnector traces 6 of nontest side 43 of the circuit card edge connector15 connect with mating edge contacts 27 (one shown in broken lines inFIG. 1) within the slot 10 connected to circuit traces 7 extending fromwithin the socket or slot 10 to a first row of test pads 9 located onthe test side of the receptacle 2. Similarly, the edge connector traces8 of test side 45 of the circuit card edge connector 15 connect withmating edge contacts 31 within the socket or slot 10 connected tocircuit traces 7 a extending from within the socket or slot 10 to anadditional, second row of test pads 9 also located on the test side ofreceptacle 2. Mating edge contacts may comprise any suitable structures,such as leaf spring contacts or zero-insertion-force (ZIF) contacts.Further, circuit traces 7 and 7 a are desirably routed and configuredfor minimal length and matched impedance. The receptacle 2 is rotatableas shown at 23 about an axis 24 extending between pivot or hinge points5 to facilitate insertion and removal 41 of the circuit card 19 undertest. The test pins or probes 11 of the load board 13 mechanicallycontact and electrically communicate with the test pads 9 arrayed in amating configuration when the test tray 3 is aligned and engaged withthe load board 13. The five embodiments of the invention are describedin further detail in FIGS. 2 through 7.

FIG. 2A shows a side cross-sectional elevation of the first embodimentof the invention. A U-shaped half-socket receptacle 1 is provided toroute the edge connector traces 6 on nontest side 43 of circuit card 19to test pads 9 by circuit traces 7, using mating edge contacts 27. Thisembodiment further allows direct connection 29 to test side edgeconnector traces 8 on the circuit card 19. It should be noted that, inthis embodiment, test pads 9 and test side edge connector traces 8 liein a substantially coplanar relationship parallel to the plane of testtray 3 for coequal contact with load board 13. Since only one side ofcircuit card 19 is connected by circuit traces 7 to test pads 9, whileconnector traces 8 make direct contact with test pins 11, it may bedesirable to include components in circuit traces 7 so that impedancematching may be achieved. The half-socket receptacle 1 is pivotallymounted 5 on a test tray 3 to allow: (1) linear insertion and removal 41of a circuit card 19 to be tested, and (2) rotation 23 of the circuitcard 19 until it is coplanar with the test tray 3 and ready to interfacewith the “pogo” pins or nails 11 on the load board 13. FIG. 2B shows thecircuit card 19 held in the half-socket receptacle 1 by slots 22 in legs21 of the “U” engaging the lateral marginal extremities of the circuitcard 19. The circuit card 19, inserted in the half-socket receptacle 1,is held coplanar within the test tray 3 by a retaining clip 25 extendingor protruding from test tray 3 to engage the top of the circuit cardopposite the edge connector 15. The retaining clip 25 could be of anyconventional design such as a leaf or bow spring, a spring-loaded balldetent, or a pivoting post, and so will not be further described herein.This embodiment may be modified to provide test pads electricallyconnected to edge connector traces 6, 8 on both sides of a circuit card19 by configuring receptacle 1 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 andsubsequently described herein.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the second embodiment of the invention. Areceptacle 2 including a slot or socket 10 is provided to routeconnector traces or contacts 6, 8 from both sides of the dual-sided edgeconnector 15 to test pads 9 on receptacle 2. The receptacle 2 ispivotally mounted at 5 to the test tray 3 and locates test pads 9between the pivot point 5 and the circuit card socket or slot 10. Likethe first embodiment, the receptacle 2 is pivotally mounted on a testtray 3 to facilitate insertion and removal 41 of the circuit card 19 androtation 23 of the circuit card 19 until it is coplanar with the testtray 3 and ready to interface with the pogo pins 11 of the load board13. The circuit card 19 is held in the receptacle 2 by socket or slot10. The edge contacts 27 and 31 of socket 10 mechanically andelectrically engage the connector traces 6, 8 of dual-sided edgeconnector 15 of the circuit card 19 and are respectively routed to testpads 9 by circuit traces 7 and 7 a of receptacle 2. The circuit card 19is held coplanar within the test tray 3 by a retaining clip 25 of anysuitable configuration, as previously discussed, at the edge of thecircuit card opposite that occupied by the edge connector 15.

FIG. 4 shows a side elevation of the third embodiment of the invention.A receptacle 4 is provided to route connector traces or contacts 6, 8from opposing sides of the dual-sided edge connector 15 to test pads 9on receptacle 4. The socket 4 is pivotally mounted at 5 to the test tray3. The pivot point 5 is located between the test pads 9 and the circuitcard slot 10 of receptacle 4. Like prior disclosed embodiments, thereceptacle 4 is pivotally mounted on a test tray 3 to allow insertionand removal 41 of the circuit card 19 under test and rotation 23 of thecircuit card until it is coplanar with the test tray 3 and ready tointerface with the pogo pins 11 on the load board 13. The circuit card19 is held in the receptacle by a socket or slot 10, which mechanicallyand electrically engages the dual-sided edge connector 15 of the circuitcard 19. The circuit card 19 is held coplanar within the test tray by aretaining clip 25 of suitable design at the end opposite the edgeconnector. The advantage of this embodiment over the second embodimentis that the direct connection 29 of the pogo pins 11 against the testpads 9 tends to hold the circuit card coplanar within the test tray 3,permitting use of a much less robust retaining clip 25, or eliminatingthe need for same altogether. The first embodiment may be modified in asimilar manner by movement of pivot or hinge points accordingly.

A fourth embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 5, provides aplug-in receptacle 40 removably mounted on a test tray 3 such that eachcircuit card 19 under test is mounted perpendicular to the test tray 3.In this embodiment, the circuit card 19 is received in a socket or slot10 and the receptacle 40 routes connector traces 6 and 8 by circuittraces 7 and 7 a to test pads 9 on the bottom of the receptacle 40.While receptacle 40 is preferably formed separately from test tray 3 andis plugged thereinto in a snap-in fashion as depicted in FIG. 5, a traywith a plurality of integrally-molded receptacles 40 may be fabricated.The advantage of this embodiment is that potentially more circuit cardscould be mounted on a tray. However, this embodiment does not facilitatestacking of trays with mounted circuit cards 19 ready to test becausethe circuit cards 19 project from the plane of the tray. In comparison,test trays incorporating the first three embodiments can be stackedeasily to facilitate movement and storage of the loaded test trays in anautomated production test environment. Further, the circuit density inthe fixed perpendicular embodiment may require upgraded test equipment.

The various pivot mounting mechanisms described above may be replaced bya quick-release mechanism, such as depicted in FIG. 6. Such aquick-release mechanism allows rapid fixing and removal of thereceptacle to, in turn, facilitate insertion and removal of the circuitcard to be tested. The quick-release mechanism also allows the card andreceptacle combination to lie coplanar with the test tray, as with thepivoting embodiments. Once the cards and receptacles are secured, theentire tray can be interfaced with a bed of nails-type load board on afunctional tester. Thus, a quick-release mechanism substitutes for thepivot mount. The pivot mounting scheme is preferable only because it isintegrated, whereas the quick-release scheme permits preloading ofcircuit cards in receptacles for subsequent insertion in trays. Traysusing both pivoting and quick-release receptacles may be easily stacked.

FIG. 7 illustrates stackable test trays 700 according to the invention.Stackable test trays 700 may include pivoting or quick-releasereceptacles as described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4and 6.

The quick-release mechanism 100 as shown in FIG. 6 comprises arectangular, window frame-type receptacle 102 into which a circuit card19 may be inserted. Receptacle 102 includes an upper window 104 in itsupper surface (as depicted in FIG. 6) through which circuit card 19 maybe inserted with its dual-sided edge connector 15 extending into shallowslot 110 in receptacle base 112 wherein edge contacts 27 and 31respectively mechanically and electrically engage connector traces 6, 8of dual-sided edge connector 15. Edge contacts 27 electricallycommunicate through circuit traces 7 with a first set of test pads 9 onthe bottom of receptacle 102, while edge contacts 31 communicate throughcircuit traces 7 a with a second set of test pads 9 coplanar with thefirst set. Circuit card 19 is maintained in slot 110 by an elastomericbiasing pad 114 carried by receptacle header 116. Base 112 and header116 are joined by side columns 118 extending transversely therebetween.Biasing pad 114 needs to provide only a nominal bias to retain circuitcard 19 in receptacle 102 during handling and testing, as receptacle102, and not circuit card 19, sustains the transverse mechanical loadingimposed by contact of test pins 11 with test tray 3. Receptacle 102, inturn, is secured within receptacle bay 120 of test tray 3 by engagementof linear protrusion 122 (which extends across the top of header 116)with slot 124 on one end of bay 120, while a detent 126 (shown here byway of example as a coil-spring-biased, bullet-shaped element with ahemispherical head) engages dimple or cavity 128 in receptacle base 112.Test pads 9 are exposed to test pins 11 through test aperture 130 in thebottom of receptacle bay 120 in test tray 3.

In operation, circuit card 19 is loaded into a receptacle 102 aspreviously discussed. Receptacle 102 is then snapped into a bay 120 in atest tray 3 (each test tray preferably having a number of such baysformed therein), each bay 120 receiving a receptacle 102 carrying acircuit card 19. A tray of circuit cards 19 is then tested on load board13, pogo pins 11 contacting test pads 9 associated with each circuitcard 19. After load testing, receptacles 102 are unloaded by pullingthem out of bays 120 transverse to the plane of test tray 3, overcomingthe spring bias of detent 126. The insertion and removal operation maybe manual, and fingerholds (not shown) may be provided on receptacle102. Further, an access window 132 may be provided in the bottom of eachbay 120 so that a pin-type removal mechanism 134 may engage the headers116 of receptacles 102 and “pop” them out of test tray 3, as shown.Receptacles 102 may also be employed for storage, handling and testingof circuit cards 19 before and after load testing for protection ofcircuit cards 19.

It will be understood that all of the embodiments herein should beformed of a low-static plastic or other polymers, or include anantistatic coating thereon. It will be further understood that eachreceptacle embodiment may be tailored for a specific card configuration(size and shape, number of contacts, contact pitch, etc.), and that suchreceptacles will preferably be configured on their exteriors to beinterchangeable on carrier trays, in terms of interchangeability ofreceptacles for others of the same embodiment.

Although the present invention has been described with reference toparticular embodiments, the invention is not limited to these describedembodiments and additions, deletions and modifications to the disclosedembodiments, including without limitation the combination of features ofdifferent embodiments, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe art and lie within the scope of the claims following thisspecification.

What is claim is:
 1. A method of contacting a circuit card bearing adual-sided edge connector, comprising: providing a circuit card having adual-sided edge connector; providing a circuit card receptaclecomprising: an elongated slot structure for receiving said dual-sidededge connector of said circuit card; two groups of contacts mountedwithin said elongated slot structure, the first group configured formating with a first side of said dual-sided edge connector and thesecond group configured for mating with a second and opposing side ofsaid dual-sided edge connector; planar electrical test pads coplanarwith a single surface of said receptacle configured for mechanicalcontact with test pins from a load board; and circuit traces carried bysaid circuit card receptacle connecting said contacts to said planarelectrical test pads; inserting said circuit card into said circuit cardreceptacle; and contacting said planar electrical test pads with saidtest pins from said load board.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising after said inserting said circuit card into said circuit cardreceptacle, snapping said circuit card receptacle into a bay in a testtray.
 3. A method of testing a circuit card having a dual-sided edgeconnector, comprising: providing a circuit card receptacle comprising:an elongated slot structure for receiving said dual-sided edge connectorof said circuit card; two groups of contacts mounted within saidelongated slot structure, the first group configured for mating with afirst side of said dual-sided edge connector and the second groupconfigured for mating with a second and opposing side of said dual-sidededge connector; planar electrical test pads coplanar with a singlesurface of said circuit card receptacle configured for mechanicalcontact with test pins from a load board; and circuit traces carried bysaid circuit card receptacle connecting said contacts to said planarelectrical test pads; providing a circuit card tester having a loadboard for direct contact to said planar electrical test pads; providinga circuit card having a dual-sided edge connector; inserting saidcircuit card into said circuit card receptacle; contacting said planarelectrical test pads with said test pins from a load board; andperforming a functional test of said circuit card.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, further comprising: removing said circuit card from saidcircuit card receptacle; obtaining another circuit card having adual-sided edge connector; and repeating said inserting step, saidcontacting step and said performing step.
 5. A method of testing acircuit card bearing a dual-sided edge connector, comprising: providinga circuit card receptacle comprising: an elongated slot structure forreceiving said dual-sided edge connector of said circuit card; twogroups of contacts mounted within said elongated slot structure, thefirst group configured for mating with a first side of said dual-sidededge connector and the second group configured for mating with a secondand opposing side of said dual-sided edge connector; planar electricaltest pads coplanar with a single surface of said circuit card receptacleconfigured for mechanical contact with test pins from a load board; andcircuit traces carried by said circuit card receptacle connecting saidcontacts to said planar electrical test pads; providing a circuit cardtester having a load board for direct contact to said planar electricaltest pads; providing a tray including bays for receiving circuit cardreceptacles; providing a circuit card having a dual-sided edgeconnector; inserting said circuit card into said circuit cardreceptacle; snapping said circuit card receptacle into a bay of saidtray; contacting said planar electrical test pads with said test pinsfrom said load board; and performing a functional test of said circuitcard.
 6. A method of testing circuit cards bearing a dual-sided edgeconnector, comprising: providing a plurality of circuit cardreceptacles, each circuit card receptacle comprising: an elongated slotstructure for receiving a dual-sided edge connector of a circuit card;two groups of contacts mounted within said elongated slot structure, thefirst group configured for mating with a first side of said dual-sidededge connector and the second group configured for mating with a secondand opposing side of said dual-sided edge connector; planar electricaltest pads coplanar with a single surface of said circuit card receptacleconfigured for mechanical contact with test pins from a load board; andcircuit traces carried by said circuit card receptacle connecting saidcontacts to said planar electrical test pads; providing a circuit cardtester having a load board configured for direct contact to said planarelectrical test pads; providing a tray including a plurality of bays forreceiving said plurality of circuit card receptacles and orienting saidplanar electrical test pads along a single planar surface; providing aplurality of circuit cards each having a dual-sided edge connector fortesting; inserting said plurality of circuit cards into said pluralityof circuit card receptacles; snapping said plurality of circuit cardreceptacles into said plurality of bays of said tray; interfacing saidtray including said planar electrical test pads with said test pins fromsaid load board; and performing a functional test of said plurality ofcircuit cards.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: removingsaid plurality of circuit card receptacles from said plurality of baysof said tray; removing said plurality of circuit cards from said removedcircuit card receptacles; and repeating said inserting step, saidsnapping step, said interfacing step and said performing step asnecessary to test all of said plurality of circuit cards provided.
 8. Amethod of contacting a circuit card bearing a dual-sided edge connector,comprising: providing a circuit card having a dual-sided edge connector;providing in combination, a substantially planar circuit card receptaclecarrier and a circuit card receptacle for adapting a semiconductordie-carrying circuit card bearing a dual-sided edge connector forsingle-sided electrical contact, comprising: an elongated cavitystructure formed on said circuit card receptacle having two contactrows, each contact row comprising a plurality of contacts arranged formating with one of two opposing sides of said dual-sided edge connector;a plurality of test pads on a surface of said circuit card receptacleelectrically connected to said plurality of contacts in a one-to-onecorrespondence, said test pads lying in a substantially coplanarrelationship; and a mechanism for coupling said circuit card receptacleto said substantially planar receptacle carrier, permitting insertionand removal of said circuit card from said receptacle carrier, whilealso allowing said circuit card to lie coplanar with said receptaclecarrier where said circuit card receptacle is mounted thereto; insertingsaid circuit card into said circuit card receptacle; and contacting saidplurality of test pads with a plurality of test pins from a load board.9. The method of claim 8, further comprising after said inserting saidcircuit card into said circuit card receptacle, snapping said circuitcard receptacle into a bay in said receptacle carrier.
 10. A method oftesting a circuit card bearing a dual-sided edge connector, comprising:providing in combination, a substantially planar circuit card receptaclecarrier and a circuit card receptacle for adapting a semiconductordie-carrying circuit card bearing a dual-sided edge connector forsingle-sided electrical contact, comprising: an elongated cavitystructure formed on said circuit card receptacle having two contactrows, each contact row comprising a plurality of contacts arranged formating with one of two opposing sides of said dual-sided edge connector;a plurality of test pads on a surface of said circuit card receptacleelectrically connected to said plurality of contacts in a one-to-onecorrespondence, said test pads lying in a substantially relationship;and a mechanism for coupling said circuit card receptacle to saidsubstantially planar receptacle carrier, permitting insertion andremoval of said circuit card from said receptacle carrier, while alsoallowing said circuit card to lie coplanar with said receptacle carrierwhere said circuit card receptacle is mounted thereto; providing acircuit card tester having a load board for direct contact to said testpads; providing a circuit card having a dual-sided edge connector;inserting said circuit card into said circuit card receptacle;contacting said plurality of test pads with a plurality of test pinsfrom said load board; and performing a functional test of said circuitcard.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: removing saidcircuit card from said circuit card receptacle; obtaining anothercircuit card having a dual-sided edge connector for testing; andrepeating said inserting step, said contacting step and said performingstep.
 12. A method of testing a circuit card bearing a dual-sided edgeconnector, comprising: providing in combination, a substantially planarcircuit card receptacle carrier and a circuit card receptacle foradapting a semiconductor die-carrying circuit card bearing a dual-sidededge connector for single-sided electrical contact, comprising: anelongated cavity structure formed on said circuit card receptacle havingtwo contact rows, each contact row comprising a plurality of contactsarranged for mating with one of two opposing sides of said dual-sidededge connector; a plurality of test pads on a surface of said circuitcard receptacle electrically connected to said plurality of contacts ina one-to-one correspondence, said test pads lying in a substantiallycoplanar relationship; and a mechanism for coupling said circuit cardreceptacle to said substantially planar receptacle carrier, permittinginsertion and removal of said circuit card from said receptacle carrier,while also allowing said circuit card to lie coplanar with saidreceptacle carrier where said circuit card receptacle is mountedthereto; providing a circuit card tester having a load board for directcontact to said plurality of test pads; providing a circuit card havinga dual-sided edge connector for testing; inserting said circuit cardinto said elongated cavity structure of said circuit card receptacle;snapping said circuit card receptacle into said receptacle carrier;interfacing said receptacle carrier with said load board; and performinga functional test of said circuit card.
 13. A method of testing circuitcards bearing a dual-sided edge connector, comprising: providing incombination, a substantially planar circuit card receptacle carrier anda plurality of circuit card receptacles, each circuit card receptacleconfigured for adapting a semiconductor die-carrying circuit cardbearing a dual-sided edge connector for single-sided electrical contact,comprising: an elongated cavity structure formed on each circuit cardreceptacle having two contact rows, each contact row comprising aplurality of contacts arranged for mating with one of two opposing sidesof said dual-sided edge connector; a plurality of test pads on a surfaceof each circuit card receptacle electrically connected to said pluralityof contacts in a one-to-one correspondence, said test pads lying in asubstantially coplanar relationship; and mechanisms for coupling saidplurality of circuit card receptacles to said substantially planarcircuit card receptacle carrier, each mechanism configured forpermitting insertion and removal of a circuit card from said receptaclecarrier, while also allowing said circuit card to lie coplanar with saidreceptacle carrier where each circuit card receptacle is mountedthereto; providing a circuit card tester having a load board configuredfor interfacing with said receptacle carrier and configured for directcontact to said plurality of test pads; providing a plurality of circuitcards each having a dual-sided edge connector for testing; insertingsaid plurality of circuit cards into said plurality of circuit cardreceptacles; snapping said plurality of circuit card receptacles intosaid receptacle carrier; interfacing said receptacle carrier with saidload board; and performing a functional test of said plurality ofcircuit cards.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: removingsaid receptacle carrier from said load board; removing said plurality ofcircuit card receptacles from said receptacle carrier; removing saidplurality of circuit cards from said removed circuit card receptacles;and repeating said inserting step, said snapping step, said interfacingstep and said performing step as necessary to test all of said pluralityof circuit cards provided.
 15. A method of contacting at least onecircuit card bearing a dual-sided edge connector from a single side,comprising: connecting at least one side of said dual-sided edgeconnector to planar electrical test pads located adjacent to andcoplanar with an opposing side of said at least one circuit card; andmaking simultaneous electrical contact to both sides of said dual-sidededge connector from said opposing side of said at least one circuitcard, said contact with at least one side of said dual-sided edgeconnector being made through a plurality of test pins contacting saidplanar electrical test pads.
 16. A method of testing a circuit cardbearing a dual-sided edge connector from a single side, comprising:connecting at least one side of said dual-sided edge connector to planarelectrical test pads located adjacent to and coplanar with an opposingside of said circuit card; making simultaneous electrical contact toboth sides said of dual-sided edge connector from said opposing side ofsaid circuit card, said contact with at least one side of said edgeconnector being made through a plurality of test pins contacting saidplanar electrical test pads; and performing a functional test of saidcircuit card through said planar electrical test pads.